


Uptown Girl

by DeadlyBacon



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Bullying, Child Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Love denial, Strong Language, shadow weaver is such a great mom, someone had to do it, supposed to be set in the 80s, teenage love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-01 19:32:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16771453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadlyBacon/pseuds/DeadlyBacon
Summary: Adora and Catra grew up in the worst neighbourhood with the worst foster mom. Glimmer grew up in the richest neighbourhood but that doesn't always make her life easier. They're so different but something keep bringing them closer.They won't accept that, they're totally incompatible and anyway, they're not dykes, that's bad.Or maybe they're just young and can't help it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been so obsessed with She-ra the past few days i couldn't help but put them in an AU i've been wanting to do for so long. It's a high school AU, i know how boring that sounds but i hope you'll follow me. I got this chapter done and the second one should come out not long after.

“Adora ! Move your ass !” Loud banging shook the bathroom door “I wanna be out before she wakes up !”  
Adora grunted and splashed some water on her face. She walked to the door and slammed it open, missing Catra’s face by an inch.  
“Well if you were in such a hurry you would have spent less time doing your dumb makeup !”  
Catra frowned.  
“Cat eyes are cool okay.” She mumbled through gritted teeth.  
Adora giggled and rushed to the stair, jumping through the steps she was already putting her first shoe on when Catra started coming down.  
Adora was tying her leather boots as she saw Catra grab a pair of heels in a messy closet. She gasped.  
“Are you taking her shoes ?!”  
Catra shrugged. “She’s drunk as hell she won’t notice. Besides she’s just going to spend the day in her robes grumbling about how terrible her life is.”  
Adora nodded. Their foster mother was not the type to get pretty in the morning. The only reason she would wear those heels would be to go to the club. That she wasn’t doing much anymore. Too bad, those heels cost a great deal of money.

The two girls bursted through the door, jogging down the street to the bus stop. It was a day as any other, the sky was grey, the air humid. Everything was grey expect for Catra’s long messy red hair. Even the two girls matched the neighbourhood.  
Adora wasn’t much for prepping up. She liked her outfits to be practical and comfortable. Combat boots, pants and black coats was her usual.  
Catra liked a bit of beauty in her life, a cheap eyeliner from the supermarket, an occasional piece of clothes she would borrow from their foster mom was the best she could make up with. 

Yes, indeed they matched the neighbourhood. A messy life of dark colors and weird smells. The sticking image of a youth left behind, with no better hope than a moldy house and second hand clothes. 

____________________

“But what are you going to do until the end of our meeting ?”  
“I’ll just do some homework don’t worry about me.” Glimmer giggled. “The buses are only cancelled for today you know.”  
“I know.” Bow sighed. “It’s very nice from your mom to drive all the way to school.”  
“Well of course, she wouldn’t just let us walk all the way home.”  
Glimmer and Bow were walking down the school hallway to their lockers. It was crowded at this hour, people flooded from every corner, some in small groups chatting loudly.  
Some people gave a small wave to the two, some just glared. 

Arriving at her locker, Glimmer looked up to it and sighed.  
“What the fuck does that even mean ?” Bow frowned.  
On Glimmer’s locker door was written down with a cheap marker the word ‘Bubble’. She was used to have words written down weekly. People seemed to have very one sided opinions about her in this school and they were not all nice. 

Glimmer opened her locker, giving a look down to the cleaning spray she always had inside.  
“I’ll just clean it later.” She grumbled.  
Bow twisted his mouth. He had always been the first witness to his friend’s bullying but never knew how to give her more help than a shoulder to cry on.  
He just went to get his books too, promising her he would help her clean up at the next break. 

___________

“So. . You didn’t know the bus were cancelled today.” The principal sighed loudly, already feeling a migraine coming at 9 in the morning.  
“Well no obviously ! How are we supposed to guess that ?!” Catra crossed her arms, obviously not impressed to be the in front of the school’s principal. She was actually quite used to the place. “We don’t have a TV and no one warned us.”  
“We made an announcement 3 days ago.” The principal stated.  
Catra and Adora stayed silent for a minute.  
“Well i guess we didn’t hear it.” Catra replied, now putting her hands on her hips.  
Adora giggled silently behind her.  
“You think this is a joke ?” Principle Brown stood up from his chair. “You girls have been late 14 times this month. And if only it was only that. You’ve both been in my office so many times that i should write both your names on the door.” He slammed his fist on his desk, looking both calm and ready to blow up.

He sat down again. Passing a hand on his sweaty bald head.  
“Both of you will go in detention tonight. And in seperate classrooms, i mean it.”  
“What ?!” Catra shouted. “How is any of this our fault ?! And why making us go home later when we have to walk ? You want us to get stabbed in an alleyway or something.” 

“Well i would be more worried about the people who are gonna cross your way” The principle chuckled, writing a note. “Be there tonight or i will not hesitate to call your mother.”

Both girl felt a shiver down their spine. They lowered their head and walked out of the office. Adora could hear Catra mumbling angrily under her breathe. 

__________

The night came down fast in this time of year. It was sunset when Adora walked into the classroom where 4 people already were. She sighed, like this day hasn’t been bad enough, now she had to be in detention, and without Catra on top of all. 

“You’re late Adora.” The teacher in charge of watching them stated. “Go sit.”

Adora grunted. Dragging herself across to classroom to sit at the first desk she spotted. She let herself down loudly. throwing her backpack on the floor and extending her legs under the table.  
The teacher gave her an angry glare but he didn’t seem like he was up to throw a fight. He started giving students work to do, except to the girl in the row next to Adora, which made her twitch.

She looked at the girl, and had a small smile.  
Small chubby girl with curly hair at shoulder length, nice brand clothes, not torn apart or repaired. Her face looked soft and rosy, some discreet but shiny jewelry. She thought that she might have seen her before.  
“What the fuck is a princess doing in detention ?!” She cackled.  
“Quiet Adora !” The teacher immediately shouted. Making Adora turn back to her desk. She did catch the angry look the girl gave her thought. 

She giggled. ‘Princess’ was what she and her friends called all those uptown rich girls. There were a few at her school and to her they were the biggest contrast with their lives that it always made her laugh.  
Perfect grades, perfect outfits, always involved in some school clubs. They were all friends and all of them were both the queens and laughingstock of the school.  
Adora was used to see them walk proudly down the school halls or on the front page of the school’s paper. But a princess in detention, now that was new. 

She couldn't help but give a few quick look above her shoulder to catch a good sight of the situation. It obviously didn’t escape the girl’s attention, and has it seemed to get on her nerves, Adora got quite amused. 

When another teacher opened the door to have a word with the one in charge, Adora seized the opportunity.  
“Hey ! Princess !” She whispered. “Whatcha doing here ?”  
The girl grunted, taking a breathe.  
“I'm waiting for my friend.”  
“Where is he ?” Adora continued.  
“At the engineering club.”  
“Oh.” Adora cackled. “Nerd meeting.”

Glimmer sighed loudly, which Adora picked up.  
“Hey I think i saw you before. Isn’t your name Sparkles or something ?”  
Glimmer rolled her eyes, clenching her fist on her pen.  
“It’s Glimmer.”  
“Oh yeah, Glimmer !” Adora laughed out loud, which caught the attention of the teacher.  
“Adora turn your back or i’ll see you here again tomorrow night !” 

Adora obeyed and threw her head back.  
Glimmer looked funny. She was so smooth and perfect she almost looked like she was shining. 

___________

At the end of detention Adora walked to Catra’s classroom. They met with a warm hug and Adora immediately told her all about the princess she saw.  
Catra always looked so grossed out by the princesses, like their smell of expensive perfume was getting to her nose every time, giving her nausea.

They walked down the corridors, enjoying the sound of their voice and laughter echoing through the empty school. They stopped at a corner when they heard low chatter and sounds of banging metal. 

They both looked down a corridor to see two people, one tall black guy talking fast, with a lot of reassuring hand gestures. The other, small chubby girl, was the princess Adora met a few minutes ago. 

They could her voice break and her sniffling from where they were watching the scene. She had some cleaning product in one hand and was rubbing furiously her locker door with the other. Adora could see from a distance that the word ‘fatty’ written over a dark stain was being erased.  
The young man was touching her shoulder gently, probably trying to calm her down and offering her tissues. It didn’t look like she was listening at all. They were saying fast words Adora couldn’t pick up. 

Suddenly, the girl looked in their direction. Both girls could see how angry the girl’s crying face was. It also looked like her mascara had been running down her cheeks.  
The young man turned back too.  
“Hey get the fuck away !” He shouted, his voice breaking a tad. “Don’t you think you have done enough !” 

“The heck dude !” Catra shot back immediately. “We haven’t done shit to your precious princess !”  
Catra pulled Adora’s coat as a sign for them to keep walking. Glimmer was rubbing her eyes with her sleeve. That sure going to make a mess. 

As they both exited the school, Catra let out a laugh.  
“Goddamn rich kids ! Always thinking they’re being attacked !”  
Adora giggled with her.  
“Poor princess gonna forget all her troubles once she drowns in expensive champagne. Or maybe it’s lobster she likes better. Would explain why she’s fat !” Catra laughed loudly again.  
Adora followed but couldn’t get the image of Glimmer’s darkened tearing eyes out of her mind. She had to admit she felt a bit sorry.  
Catra nudged her with her elbow. Talking lower and looking excited.  
“Oh i just remembered what Lonnie told me about that guy ! She heard he might be a fag but that’s just a rumor she got from Kyle.”  
“How do you want me to trust that then ?” Adora smirked, picking up the pace.  
It was night already and they had a long way to get home to a probably very hungover foster mother.

___________________________________

The two girls were careful to take off their shoes and not slam the door when they came home. If their foster mom was a deep sleeper when she was drunk, she could get off at any slight sound when we was awake. Catra remembered to put the heels back in the closet, exactly at the spot she found them.  
They tip-toed their way across the living room and started climbing the stairs.They could hear a low rumble in the kitchen, a kettle boiling, dishes clanging.  
Adora walked up 3 steps and the fourth one creaked. She grimaced, knowing what would happen next.  
“Adora . . ?” A weak voice came from the kitchen. Adora turned back, meeting Catra’s questioning look.  
She gave her a gentle smile, reassuring and she pushed her gently to get down the stairs and walked to the kitchen.  
She heard Catra hurrying to her bedroom.  
“Hey S.” Adora stood at the frame of the door. Not wanting to fully go inside the kitchen. 

S. was what they had been told to call their foster mom. Neither ‘mother’, or ‘mom’ she accepted, even when they were toddlers. She didn’t let them call her by her name either. It was S. for them, always. ‘Mom’ was only for when the social workers visited, and even then they were afraid to use it.

She was skinny and pale, always looking dazed. She was wearing pajamas too big for her, holding a teacup upside down. That day she had slept in the ton of makeup she wore to hide her age, so it was smudged all over her face. She even had a few strings of her long black hair sticking to her lipstick.  
“Adora dear.” She spoke with a shaky voice. “Aren’t you here late ? It’s night already . .”  
“Well it’s november so the night comes early.” Adora looked down. “Also we were in detention cause we were late to class.”  
S. seemed lost in thought.  
“November already. .” She mumbled. 

Man she’s really out of it. Adora thought. Might be a good time to get away now.  
“Well i have homeworks so see ya later.” Adora quickly backed away and left S. to whatever she was doing.  
She ran upstairs to Catra’s bedroom. Carefully closing the door behind her. She breathed out loudly like she ran a marathon and looked at Catra. She had taken out her tapes and was choosing which one she wanted to listen to. 

Adora jumped on the bed next to her, making the box of tapes bounce in a clatter.  
“I wanna listen to New Order.” She stated.  
“Again ?” Catra scoffed.  
“ So what if i like it ?” Adora grumbled and grabbed the tape herself.  
“Fine. Listen to your gay music.” Catra laughed, laying down on the bed as Adora slipped the tape inside the player.


	2. Chapter 2

It was 10 am’s break. Adora and Catra had followed their group of friends to a spot behind the gym. All kids from the same neighbourhood as them. Problem kids, as the adults liked to call them. 

The 4 were passing around a single cigarette, lit with a stolen lighter. Lonnie always brought cigarettes from her home. It was only one per day. If they all wanted to smoke at the same time they would have had to wait 4 days. The liked passing a cigarette around better. 

“. . and then he grabbed my jacket and started shaking it, and the tube didn’t even fall !” Catra was telling about a tube of mascara she shoplifted 3 days ago. It had become her pride and joy since it was expensive makeup.   
Kyle gave the cigarette to Adora, who took a good puff of it before passing it to Catra. They smoked fast to not let it burn out too quickly. 

Catra elbowed Adora hard enough to mess her balance.   
“Oh ! Oh ! Adora tell them about the princess you saw in detention last night !” She exclaimed.   
“She was just doing her work Catra. Not in detention, she was waiting for someone.” Adora sighed.  
“It was the fat one who always hangs out with that tall guy !” Catra added.  
“Oh ! Fatty and the Fag !” Lonnie burst out in loud laughter.   
Adora frowned. 

“See i told you he was a fag !” Catra elbowed her again.  
“Well.” Lonnie stated in a serious tone. “Kyle’s got the hypothesis. We know he’s a rich nerd for sure.”  
“ I just said i saw him stare at some guy in the locker room !” Kyle objected. “You concluded that he was gay . . “  
“Seriously Kyle ?” Lonnie grunted.  
“Maybe he just thought he was ripped or something . .” Kyle mumbled shyly.   
Lonnie rolled her eyes so hard her pupils disappeared for a second. 

“Anyway. . .” She continued, taking a puff from the cigarette that was passed to her. “You know that guy’s parents died in a fire like 8 years ago ?”  
“Woaw really ?” Adora gasped.  
“Yeah pretty tragic. He’s super rich now tho. I heard he lives at fatty’s house now but he probably bought himself a manor and ten butlers to care for him.”  
“Why still go to school when you’re this rich ?” Catra spat.

“Dunno. Maybe he was bored.” Lonnie shrugged.   
Kyle blew out smoke and passed the cigarette to Adora. She grabbed it and stared for a second. Something felt wrong. She brought the cigarette to her lips. 

Suddenly a loud voice yelled behind them.  
“Hey what the-”   
A tall man had walked around the corner of the gym, spotting the group. As soon as they spotted him and recognized him as a gym teacher, they started running in the opposite direction, leaving the man there startled. 

Adora had thrown the cigarette immediately but she knew the teacher had a good look at her smoking as she was at the front of the group. She was running like crazy, quickly taking the lead of the group. They were too afraid to check if he was following, so Adora instinctively ran to the school building.

They all bursted through the main door, Adora yelled at them to split up.  
Lonnie and Kyle went the same direction as Catra took a different corridor and so did Adora.   
She ran into the first bathroom she found, locking herself in a stall.

There she leaned against the wall, a hand on her chest she breathed out.   
Her legs were shaking, her throat burning from the cold air.   
She knew he saw her, even if she was wrapped up in large dark clothes and she started running so quickly. There was no way he didn’t recognize her. Everybody knew her and her friends in this god damned school. Troublemakers, problem kids. They had no pity for them. 

Now she was in big troubles. 

She only got out when class had already started. Jogging frantically to her classroom, checking left and right that the corridors were empty and safe.

_____________

Glimmer always walked out of exams early. She didn’t enjoy having everyone’s look onto her when she would give her paper before everyone else. Sometimes she would sit a little longer in class, but not tonight, tonight she really wanted to go home. 

She was walking to her locker when she heard noise in a nearby corridor and decided to take a peek. 

She knew Bow’s locker to be in that corridor. She saw two students there. A short blonde guy with a messy raincoat and a tall black girl with an old leather jacket. They kind of looked like they were arguing but the girl started laughing loudly and took out a marker from her pocket. 

Glimmer watched her bring it to Bow’s locker, and her heart jumped. Was she the one who wrote that awful thing on her locker yesterday ? Could be, she was one of those punks who always get in trouble. 

Glimmer gritted her teeth. Watching the slow process of the girl pressing her marker so hard on the metal it was bending the door. The guy in the raincoat was walking back and forth, sighing, trying to pull her sleeve, but the girl just kept on writing.   
F . . . A . . . G- Oh no. 

Glimmer felt sick to her stomach. Messing with her was bad enough, but her friend ? She couldn’t just stay there and watch. She got ready to take a step forward in the corridor but a voice spoke at the other end.   
“Kyle ! Lonnie ! What the fuck !” the person spoke, raising her hands in confusion.  
Glimmer stood in her hide. She recognized that girl, it was the one who was in detention the night before and called her ‘princess’. And did she see her cry too ? 

Lonnie chuckled. “Spreading rumors ! That’s always fun !”  
“I never agreed to that.” Kyle interjected.   
Lonnie grunted but turned back to Adora, putting her pen back in her pocket.   
“Well don’t.” Adora walked to the locker and smudged the first letter with the corner of her hand.   
Lonnie sighed, tilting her head like a disappointed kid. 

“Anyway what are you doing here ?”  
Adora looked away.  
“Principal called me to his office.”  
“Shit !” Lonnie whistled. “Fucking gym lover sold you ?”  
“Yeah i think.”

The three kids looked down, not knowing what to say. Glimmer took the opportunity to walk out of her corner and stand there, looking at them.   
They all took a quick glance at her before they parted. Lonnie and Kyle walked away, the girl with her hands raised like to show a policeman she wasn’t holding a weapon.   
Adora walked up to Glimmer, not looking at her.   
“Hi Glimmer.” She mumbled when she got to her height. “Sorry.” She said a second after, so low it was almost said for herself. 

Glimmer looked at Adora walk to the school’s office like a prisoner going to the electric chair. She sighed. 

On Bow’s locker was written ‘AG’. Glimmer smiled. That doesn’t mean anything. She took out a tissue from her pocket and finished smudging the ink. Bow’s locker had a big stain. She’ll clean it after she drops her books. 

_______________

Adora’s knees went weak and she almost fell over. The principal’s decision hit her like a ton of bricks. She begged, cried and shouted but he just wouldn't listen. 

The gym teacher did reported her smoking behind the building. Her only for some reason. None of her friends’ names were ever mentioned. Not that she wanted them to be in troubles too, but all of it felt a bit unfair. 

The principal had given such a long speech about how smoking was bad and how she was driving herself into a wall with her attitude. She tried to explain herself, tried to tell him how much she needed those breaks with her friends. He just didn’t care. He was so fed up with her. He just decided that it was time to call her foster mom. 

That’s what she feared the most, detention she could take, getting scolded too, but not S. knowing she misbehaved. Especially since she was so rarely sober. 

The principle had to push her out of his office to be able to make his phone call. Adora felt like she was going mad. Everyone in the school’s office was staring at her. She was facing the door, her blonde hair all messed up and her fist clenched. 

She put her two hands on her temples, pressed her forehead on the glass door and let out a piercing screams, so loud it was burning in her lungs.   
Tears rolled along her cheeks. She let out a few sobs and rubbed her eyes with her two open hands.   
Turning around she met the secretary’s eyes. She was in pure shock. Her mouth halfway open. She looked so stupid like that. 

Adora took off, running as fast as she could through the office space. She heard a few voices calling her but she was already ou. Tears wouldn’t stop coming from her eyes.   
She ran across the school and into the street. The sun was already setting.The air was so cold and so hard to breathe in.

She couldn’t go home. 

________________________

“WHERE-IS-ADO-RA ?!” Incessant banging on Catra’s bedroom door. She was going to break it in half if she kept on doing that.   
“I TOLD YOU I DON’T KNOW !” Catra yelled back. Covering her ears with a pillow.   
S. had completely lost it. She was walking back and forth through the house, grunting and sniffling like an animal gone rabid. Catra sweared she had seen her drooling. 

She had blocked her bedroom door with a chair. Right when she came home S. had grabbed her arm and shook so violently it was starting to bruise. She had been asking where Adora was for an hour now. She rarely was this mad at Adora. 

It was the truth when she said she didn’t know where her foster sister was. She saw her at lunch break and when class started again, she was gone.   
She wanted to ask Lonnie and Kyle if they had seen her but she couldn’t find them either.

From her foster mother’s shouting she understood that the principle called her about the smoking incident. Catra hated that Adora had been the only one blamed for that. Now she had run away god-knows where and was probably not coming back before a while.  
She just hoped she was okay.

Hearing her foster mom coming down the stairs, Catra crawled silently to her window. She had managed to kind of escape the woman’s rage until now and wanted to keep it that way. That night she had an aggressive smell of hard liquor, making her smell like disinfectant almost. 

She looked through her window. The street was dark, empty. Lit by a yellow lamp post, one of the rare ones that hadn’t been broken by kids. 

She didn’t really wanted Adora to come home right now. Surely S. would storm on her and hurt her bad. Catra hated that. More than being hurt herself. She always tried to defend Adora but what could she do from her 17 years ?

Sometimes she just wondered about stabbing S. in her sleep. But she wasn’t going to prison for that bitch.  
They just had to go through this school year and then they would be free, and safe together. Like they always wanted.

She hopped Adora had found a safe place to stay. 

_____________

A very light rain was falling. Adora tucked herself inside her coat, trying to walk faster.  
She had no idea where she was going but she had to find somewhere. She couldn’t go home tonight, not in any way.   
She apologized to Catra in her thoughts for leaving her alone with S. gone mad. She hoped she wouldn’t pass her nerves on her. S. was the meanest to Catra. She was a mean cunt for sure but with Catra it was so much worse. Probably because Catra wasn’t the kind to lower her head and say ‘yes thank you’. Catra was sassy, independant and mischievous. She had always been.   
Adora admired her for that while it drove all adults crazy. Nothing seemed to be a greater offense to them than a child disobeying. 

Adora understood that quickly and preferred to avoid trouble. Catra never did, she was too much of a free spirit. 

Adora walked by a park and noticed the gazebo on the lawn. She thought that she could get out of the rain for a bit. 

She sat under the gazebo, soaked wet and listened to the rain falling on the roof. She took a deep breathe, feeling a shiver running across her body. She was exhausted, starving, and very lonely.   
She rumbled through her pockets with the hope of finding some change. Nothing.   
She searched through her backpack. Found an old cereal bar, very smashed but nothing else. 

She shrugged and took a bite of the bar. It felt good to be eating something.  
It wasn’t enough sadly, and left her stomach more frustrated than anything. If only she didn’t spend all her change buying sodas. 

Adora brought her knees close to her chest, curling into a ball. Everything was so quiet and empty. It was so dark in the park.   
She hated being alone like that. She was so used to spend every minute of her life with Catra.   
She felt like crying again. Took a deep breathe.

"Come on Adora you’re 17. You don’t cry like that anymore."  
She rubbed her cheeks and leaned against the fence. She closed her eyes and let herself doze off.

_____________

Adora was awaken by something nudging her leg in the early morning. She instinctively moved her legs away in a clumsy move, still emerging from her slumber.   
She looked down. A very filthy looking dog was sniffing the floor around her. It lifted its head and met her eyes, ears pointing forward.   
“What the. . .”  
The dog was of a dirty grey, with a long snout and hair. It wagged its tail a few times and resumed his floor smelling. She stared at him for a second. 

Adora looked around. It seemed to be morning. A very dark and grey morning. Did she really sleep at this gazebo ?   
The wind pushed her blonde hair over her face and made her shiver. She noticed that she felt extremely cold and felt around for her backpack. 

From it she took out a watch that became too small for her when she turned 11.   
School had not started yet. Adora still had time to walk there and maybe wash her face. Her clothes still felt wet from the night before.  
With all that running around, she thought she must smell terrible. 

_______________

“Lonnie ! There you fucking are !”   
Catra grabbed Lonnie’s arm as soon as she passed by her in a corridor.   
“Watch it ! You’re gonna rip a hole in my jacket with your stupid press-on nails !” Lonnie pulled her arm away from the hold.   
“First of all they’re real nails !” Catra waved her fingers a few inches away from Lonnie’s eyes. “Second, I was looking everywhere for you last night ‘cause i couldn’t find Adora and where in hell were you when your friend was in need ?!”  
Lonnie crossed her arms. "Fucking fatty princess saw me and Kyle doing some mischief so i thought i was better for us to get lost. Also Adora is sitting five lockers away from here and i already explained myself to her. So you’re welcome friend in need.”  
“Huh ?!” Catra turned back and scanned the crowd looking for the familiar blond ponytail.

“Oh my god Adora !” Catra ran to her friend when she spotted her sitting on the floor.   
She pulled her in a tight hug but didn’t make it last long.   
“Ew ! You smell terrible !” Catra grimaced. “Where have you been i was so worried !”

“Sorry Catra. .” She mumbled. “I fell asleep in a park . . “  
“You mean you slept outside ? Are you crazy ?!” Catra shook her by the coat. “You could have get mugged or worse ! Don’t do that again !”  
Adora sighed. She had the biggest dark circles Catra had ever seen on her, and she looked way paler than usual.   
“I was afraid to go home. S. must have been so angry.”   
“She was awful.” Catra stated. “But you only had to wait a few hours for her to fall asleep and i would have sneaked you in !”

Adora took Catra’s hand. Seemed like she really worried for her.   
“I won't do it again i'm sorry.”  
“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re alright. I would hug you again but you seriously stink.”   
They both giggled as Catra helped Adora off the floor.  
_________

At lunch, Catra spotted Lonnie and Kyle sitting alone at a big table. No one had dared to sit with them. Adora tailing her, Catra walked to them, stomping the floor and threw her lunch bag on the table. 

“Injustice !” Catra raised a finger to the ceiling, talking with a determined voice like a parent scolding a child.   
Lonnie raised an eyebrow, Kyle jumped on his chair.  
Adora frowned, sat silently at the table with the food Catra had brought her.   
“It’s an injustice i say !” Catra continued. “We were all guilty for the smoking behind the gym and Adora was the only one to pay for it.”  
“Catra it’s fine now-” Adora tried to calm her but Catra banged her fist on the table.  
“Guys we have to do something.” She finally sat down.   
Several people were taking careful peeks at the group, intrigued but afraid to anger one of them. 

“Well I’m sorry Adora got the blame for it but I’m not going to bleed myself for her if it’s what you’re implying.” Lonnie stated after swallowing a mouthful of sandwich.  
“No dear Lonnie, I got a plan to get vengeance on our gym loving friend.” Catra crossed her hands under her chin with a devilish smile.   
“ No ! No i don’t want none of that.” Adora shook her hand, leaning back. “Very thoughtful of you Catra but I think the best idea for now is to keep a low profile.” 

Catra groaned. “Come on Adora ! Im thirsty for blood and justice !”   
“Blood ?!” Adora scoffed.   
“Okay maybe not. But i want revenge for my little foster sister !”   
Adora smiled. “Little sister ? You forgot who taught you to tie your shoes kiddo ?”  
“Hey having a few days more than me doesn’t make you the eldest. It’s in the head.” Catra tapped on her temple.   
Adora giggled.

“By the way Adora.” Lonnie started. “What was that last night ?”   
“. . what do you mean ?” Adora frowned.   
“ When you went nuts on me writing on that guy’s locker. I wanted to ask you this morning but you seemed a little asleep.” She smirked.   
Adora played with the end of her sleeves. 

“I just think you might hurt people more than you think you do.” She replied shyly.   
In response Lonnie laughed.   
“It’s just rich kids dude ! They got everything easy someone gotta make it a little tough for them. It’s called life experience.”  
Adora wasn’t happy with that response. But it seemed like Lonnie didn’t care much. 

Catra went on about her great vengeance plan. Adora listened at first, shaking her head because she did not absolutely agreed with spilling broken glass all over the gym teacher’s lawn. Not in her name at least. 

She at some point caught herself staring at Glimmer that she has spotted across the hall. She was sitting at a table with her friend Bow, didn’t seem like they knew the other people at the table because they only talked to each other.   
She seemed to be very good friends. Even from afar Adora liked the bond that radiated between them.   
She liked the way Glimmer laughed too. Her cheeks getting pinker. It was funny how she looked like she was always shining. Like covered in glitter. 

“Hey dude are you with me ?” Catra snapped her fingers in front of Adora’s nose, making her jump on her seat.   
“S-sure.” Adora muttered.   
“God you must be tired, your face is all red.” Catra frowned in worry. “I’ll sneak you in the house tonight.”  
Adora nodded. When Catra went back to her discussion, she touched her cheeks. Was she that red ?

_________ 

At 10pm that night, Catra slid open her bedroom window, passed her head outside and looked across the road.  
“Psst ! Adora i think we’re good !” 

A rumble came from across the street. It was a wasteland there, on which Adora and Catra played a lot as kids, there were a lot of things there, a supermarket cart, a big wooden box, rusty dangerous scrap metal. . .   
Adora pushed the wooden fence that was supposed to close the place. 

“That was about fucking time” She pestered. Adora jogged silently to the front door and waited for Catra.   
A soft sound of keys opening locks and the door opened to a house in complete darkness. Adora slipped inside, quiet as a mouse.

They knew they would have to try harder to wake their foster mother, but the two girls liked to be careful. They became really good at being silent around the house over the years. 

“How was she tonight ?” Adora asked once she was in Catra’s bedroom and the door was closed.   
“As usual.” Catra shrugged. “She asked about you but mostly watched TV. I told her i hadn’t seen you all day.”   
Adora nodded.   
“I should sleep in your bedroom tonight, just in case.”   
Catra laughed. “Only if you take a shower you stinky.”

________________

Adora walked in the corridor in complete darkness. Her fingers on the wall to guide herself, she tiptoed to the bathroom.  
She knew the way across of course, even in the complete darkness. But as much as she knew her way around the house, she couldn’t have planned the big pile of dirty bed sheets that was in the way. Right in front of her foster mom's bedroom door.

Adora felt it, swore silently. She held her breath, her foot now tangled in the sheet. Her exhausted body stumbled for balance but eventually lost her landmark on the wall, failed to catch herself. She fell loudly on the floor. 

The first to light up the scene was Catra who opened her door right away. Adora could only catch her silhouette, the light blinding her suddenly. 

She then heard a noise right next to her and another light. S.'s bedroom.   
Her heart jumped in her chest.   
“Adora . . .” She heard her grumble, breathing loudly.   
The smell of alcohol coming from her bedroom was heavy, her silhouette, standing there, tall and odd. The yellow light, blinding. 

Now she was fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter. I know theres no much adora/glimmer interactions yet but for now i was only trying to set catra and adora's relationship well. To destroy it better :)  
> thanks for reading !


	3. Chapter 3

Catra was unusually early for a thursday morning. By that time of the week she would be there at the last minute and usually on fridays she would be late. Lonnie walked to her desk. Catra had her arms crossed on it and hiding her chin in the nest of her left elbow.  
“Hey girl what’s up ?” Lonnie smiled to her, but couldn’t get from Catra a smile nor a look. That was odd.   
“Not much.” Catra breathed out after a pause. 

Uncomfortable, Lonnie fidgeted in place.   
“Huh where’s Adora ? She got english with us right ?”

The silence felt heavy for 3 good minutes before Catra opened her mouth again.  
“In the bathroom. She’ll be back.”  
Lonnie nodded, rubbing the back of her neck.  
“Okay. . . Well guess I’ll go sit.” She pointed her desk behind her.   
As Catra kept silent. Lonnie quickly turned heels and headed to her desk to avoid the awkwardness any longer. 

_______________

Glimmer jogged through the corridor. She wasn’t used to take bathroom breaks in the middle of class and didn’t want to take long.   
Plus the corridors felt very creepy when they were all empty like that.   
The bathroom pass jingled in her hand. It was an heavy keychain of a cat with several bells that all tingled with her walk. Glimmer felt like a christmas reindeer. 

She pushed the door of the closest girl bathroom, freezing instantly when it wasn’t silence that welcomed her.   
Glimmer could hear muffled swear coming with an ear piercing creaking. She carefully peeked around the corner to be surprised once again.

One knee on the sink, the blonde girl Glimmer couldn’t stop passing by lately, had her fist closed on a paint marker she made squeal on the clear surface of the bathroom mirrors.   
Her hair was down, falling over her face and pretty much everywhere. Some strings looked like they had something stuck in it.   
Her combat boots were untied, showing her mismatched socks. She had her coat thrown over a simple shirt that seemed to have suspicious stains on it.   
Glimmer looked at the mirror. She had wrote ‘fuck mr Spencer and his car".   
The principal ? Glimmer frowned and stepped in the bathroom carefully. Adora didn’t notice her. She was too busy drawing a hangman with a mustache. 

“Adora . . ?” Glimmer called softly. 

Adora turned back so fast all her hair flew away from her face. Glimmer blenched. At that moment she noticed the giant stain on Adora’s right eye.   
She was terrified to meet Adora’s gaze, her blue eyes sparkling with rage, but she couldn’t keep herself from detailing all the colors on Adora’s black eye. It went from blue to grey, to purple and green. Her eyelids were swollen, her eye red. 

“What do you want ?!” Adora barked, her voice quivering.   
Glimmer shivered, started walking back slowly.   
“I-I just . . . Are you okay ?” Her eyes darted back and forth from Adora to the door. She was ready to start running. 

But instead of jumping at her, Adora let her head down, disappearing in her hair and she climbed down the sink. Startled, Glimmer stayed put to watch her. 

Adora looked up to her again, this time her eyes were shiny, filled with tears. Her mouth was half open, her lower lip trembling.   
“I look awful don’t I ?” Her voice broke so badly Glimmer barely caught what she said.   
She breathed in, looking for words.

But Adora bursted in a loud sob that echoed in the empty bathroom. She started crying heavily, tears in a non-stop flow.   
Glimmer in shock, witnessed her falling to her knees. That girl who just a few seconds beforehand looked like a beast ready to pounce, suddenly looked so small and weak crying on the cold tiling. 

Glimmer remained hesitant for a second, frozen on her spot. But quickly a thought and some pity caught up on her and she went to kneel next to Adora.   
She landed a careful hand on her shoulder, feeling her shaking and twitching with the sobs. She struggled to find her words.   
“You don't look awful Adora.” She started, making her voice as sweet as she could. “Do you want to tell me what happened to you ?”  
Adora shook her head. 

Glimmer twisted her lip. How could she help someone she barely knew ?

“Hey, i think i can make it better.” Glimmer stated after a pause.  
Adora’s sobs silenced a bit. Glimmer took it as a sign to keep on going.   
“I can make your face better, i got all my makeup in my locker. Would you like that ?”

Adora finally stopped, rubbed her eyes on her arm. She nodded.

“Okay !” Glimmer smiled. “How about you go to the engineering lab ? There won’t be anyone there today. I’ll meet you there next period, okay ?”

Adora turned to her. Her eyes were now both red from all the tears. Glimmer pushed some hair away from her face.   
Adora let her do. Fascinated in an odd way at how Glimmer’s face looked up close. She had the brightest brown eyes Adora had even seen.   
Glimmer gave her a gentle smile and two pats on the back.   
“Go then ! I’ll see you there !”   
Adora sniffled and stood up clumsily with Glimmer’s help.   
Feeling out of it, she turned to the small chubby girl before pulling the bathroom door. Glimmer gave her a small smile like a confirmation. Adora walked out. 

_________

“I don’t know what happened okay. I told her i would help so i will help.” Glimmer carried her heavy makeup box across the corridors, walking fast, a worried Bow tailing her. Glimmer had asked for him to come with her as she was afraid to be alone with a problem kid.

“You can’t be sure with those people Glimmer, you could be picking side on a gang war and not even realise it !” Bow loudly exclaimed.   
“I know Bow okay ?!” Glimmer stopped and looked back at him. “I know that but she looks hurt and i think i can help. Besides she might end up being very embarrassed to have be getting a princess’s help and won’t say anything to anybody.” 

Bow hummed, unsure. His eyebrows knitted together.   
“Maybe she’s very nice and we will make a friend ?” He wondered.   
Glimmer puffed.   
“Yeah sure, I bet she’s so nice she only broke one leg of the person she fought with.” She chuckled. “And the only thing i intend to get from her is some peace. I don’t work for free you know.”  
Bow grimaced and followed her to the engineering club room. 

_______________

It was a small room, filled with scraps of wood, metal and plastic. It had a strong smell of hot glue and firewood.   
Bow switched on the neons.  
“Is she sitting in the dark ?” He whispered to Glimmer.   
As the room lit up, Adora appeared from under a desk. She looked like a lost animal.

“WOW ! What happened to you ?!” Bow pointed at her face.   
“What’s he doing here ?!” Adora shot back, her face stiffening.   
Glimmer lowered Bow’s arm.  
“Don’t worry he won’t say anything.” Glimmer tried to reassure. “. . . Neither will you, right ?”  
Adora shook her head, but still looked mad. 

“Let’s get to work then.”   
Glimmer walked to a desk and opened her makeup box. Adora went to sit next to her.  
She looked fascinated at all the expensive foundation, blush, highlighter . . . Adora wasn’t an expert on makeup but she recognized all of the supplies to be the kind Catra liked to shoplift ; expensive.

“Okay so your skin is way paler than mine but i think i can make it work. Also this might hurt.”  
Glimmer sat in front of Adora, holding a bottle of foundation.  
“I’ll be fine.” Adora mumbled. She grabbed her messy hair and pulled it away from her right eye. Her bruise looked even worse under the light. 

Before she knew it, Glimmer pushed 3 fingers full of foundation on the top of her cheek. Adora’s first reaction was to move back then felt the sharp pain and threw her head forward.

“Ah you bitch !” Adora swore through gritted teeth, her clenched fist slammed on the desk as she didn’t wanted to put her hand in the foundation.  
She looked up, Glimmer’s eyes had widened and she had the most offended face Adora had ever seen.  
“Huh. . . Sorry that was not against you.” She muttered.

Glimmer nodded.  
“I’ll be careful.” She gestured at Adora for her to bring her face closer. She obeyed.

Glimmer grabbed Adora’s chin with one hand and brought two fingers of the other on her cheek and started spreading the makeup gently.   
Adora felt weird. It wasn’t like any touch she had ever felt. It wasn’t the painful grip of her foster mother or the well intended but stingy touch of Catra’s long nails. It wasn’t like anything she had felt before.

Glimmer had soft hands, softer gestures. Her thumb on her chin was just pressing gently, the fingers on her cheek caressing her slowly. She still felt pain from it, but didn’t mind.   
She looked into Glimmer’s eyes. She looked focused, worried even. Was she scared of hurting her ?   
She had such a shiny face, so round and soft. Glimmer really knew how to do her makeup well.   
She was so different from what Adora ever knew. 

She realized after a few minutes how long she had been staring at Glimmer and felt flustered. As she didn’t want to interrupt Glimmer in her work her eyes started glancing frantically at every corner of the room. She hoped Glimmer didn’t notice the blood she felt was rushing to her face. 

Her eyes finally met Bow’s. He had just raised his head away from a tool box to check on the two girls. His presence made Adora stiffen. 

“You’re really not gonna say anything ?” Adora mumbled as she was trying to keep her face still.   
Bow raised an eyebrow.   
“Why is that so important to you ?”  
“You know how people are. They talk a lot.”   
“Yes, that we know well.” Glimmer muttered as Adora felt her fingers press a little stronger on her skin.   
She let go of Adora’s chin not so gently to grab a makeup brush and some highlighter. 

“I just don’t want people to start making rumors because i was with. . .” Adora bit the inside of her cheek.   
“With rich kids ?” Glimmer glared.  
Adora opened her mouth to answer but couldn’t find words.  
“Save your spit Adora, I know how it is.”  
She opened the highlighter and rubbed the brush on it. “I want people to know about this as much as you, how about we both keep our mouth shut and you just tell your friends to give us a break for a while.”  
Adora frowned.

“My. . . friends ?”  
Glimmer started brushing her face with the highlighter.  
“Yeah, you and all those kids from downtown who love to pick on me ‘cause i'm the fat little rich girl. You know those friends.”   
Adora held her breathe and grabbed Glimmer’s wrist. Her hold wasn’t gentle at all.   
“So that’s how it is then. Since I'm not from the rich neighbourhood I’m just like all of those problem kids you hate so much ?” 

Glimmer jerked her hand free as she was getting scared, but she kept a strong face.   
“Why are you there then princess ?” Adora continued. “I thought you wanted to help maybe you just wanted a deal ? That’s all I’m good for after all aren’t I ?” Adora stood up. “Now i know why you brought your friend there, you were scared i would attack you cause I’m just like some rabid dog right ?!” 

Glimmer’s glare hardened but she did not answer. She had all her fingers closed on the makeup brush like she could stab someone with it. Adora’s stance got more tense. Her nails sank in her palm as she now felt blood coming to her face from anger. 

“OKAY okay !” Bow finally ended the girls’ staring contest. “How about we just calm down for a second ,heh ?”   
He had walked to them and placed a hand on Adora’s shoulder, suggesting she should sit back down. He gave a gentle look to Glimmer that seemed to ease the girl down.   
Adora let herself fall on the chair and breathed loudly. 

“Fine let’s get this over with. I’ll help keeping the kids from bothering you.” She stated, not sounding very involved.   
As an answer, Glimmer just resumed working on the makeup. They exchanged no other words and Adora avoided the girl’s gaze as much as possible. Bow kept a close watch of them while working on his engineering project. 

_____________

Catra kept scanning the crowd, like a prey bird looking for a mouse. Lonnie was getting pretty fed up with Catra constantly standing up and back down. She hadn’t even touched her food yet.   
“Can you stop that ?” Lonnie grumbled as Catra stood up one more time.  
“Leave me alone Lonnie. I haven’t seen Adora since 8am.” Catra was still focused on some blonde girl across the hall.   
Lonnie sighed loudly enough to be noticed.  
“What is even wrong with you two ?! You’ve been acting stupid since this morning and is Adora even in school ?”  
Catra groaned, sitting back down.

“None of your business Lonnie.”  
Lonnie raised an eyebrow.   
“Oh really ? How original. It’s never my business but i still have to put with you two’s shit.”   
Lonnie dropped her plastic fork on her plate, raised her arms.  
“You know what, fuck it. Have fun being nuts on your own.”  
She grabbed her stuff and left to sit a few tables away, where Kyle was with some other kids from Catra and Adora’s neighbourhood. 

Catra just rolled her eyes.   
All of a sudden she spotted blonde hair again, but this time the kind she was looking for.   
She just waved gently at Adora who was looking for a familiar face in the crowd.   
She almost ran when she noticed Catra. 

Catra gave her a gentle smile but it quickly turned into a frown when she saw the right side of her face was off-color. It looked oddly smooth and the giant black eye S, had given her the night before was just a pale ghost. Her eye still looked a bit swollen.

“Where did you get the makeup ?” Catra whispered close to her face when she sat down. Adora looked very uncomfortable. She had let her hair down that day when she usually tied it in a ponytail because she found it more practical.

“Got it from some girl in my class.” Adora responded. She had her lies prepared.   
“And when did you learn to put it on so well ?” Catra scoffed.  
“Probably from watching you plaster your face every morning”   
“Hey ! Shut up you !” Catra gasped and gently nudged her, laughing.   
She breathed out. Catra knew Adora was twice as tired as she was and was happy she had found a way around the awful stains S. gave her.   
“Hey Adora isn’t your training day ?” She smirked.   
“You mean it’s thursday already ?” Adora raised her eyebrows. Catra nodded.   
“I guess it is training day.” The blonde girl smiled.   
“See you on the field then champ’ !” Catra softly punched her arm. Now she had found a way to cheer her up.

________________

“Come on Adora move that ass ! Wooh !” Catra yelled, on the side of the track.   
The sun was setting, the air was cold and class had ended. Yet the two girls were on the running track, Adora running her life out and Catra sitting on a bench and cheering. 

Adora loved to get all her bad thoughts away with sports. While Catra was more on destroying things, she had always seen Adora doing push-ups, boxing or jogging around the neighbourhood when she was sad or angry. Catra could not relate to any of it but saw the relief it brought to her foster sister and started keeping close attention on Adora’s trainings and progress as a support.

She liked to say that Adora was training to kick everyone’s ass, but she mainly did that to give her an objective other than ‘running away from your feelings’. 

And training paid, Adora was first of her class in gym, ran the fastest when they escaped a store after being caught shoplifting and had the strongest punch when they got in fights. Which they didn’t do much anymore because everyone was afraid of getting Adora’s fist in the face.   
Only their foster mom she hadn’t defeated yet. But there was no training to prepare her for that. 

Adora reached the finish line as Catra stopped the timer on her watch. She jumped from her bench, yelling and jumping.  
“You beat your time Adora ! You did it !”  
She grabbed Adora by the neck and started rubbing her hair furiously. The blonde girl pushed her away.  
“I didn’t expect to do it tonight. Next time i’ll do the same warm up !” She clenched her fist in the air with determination.

She was still exhausted but looked more relaxed. Doing sports always made her better. Miraculously her makeup didn’t move with all the sweat and efforts. Must have been a pretty good brand.   
“So shall we move to the push-ups ?” Catra offered.  
Adora shook her head, hands on her knees and breathing loudly.  
“Not this time, I’m way too tired.”  
Catra nodded in agreement.   
“Well I’ll meet you in front of the gym, go shower you filthy animal.” She laughed.  
Catra grabbed her bag and left Adora who walked towards the locker room. 

___________

Adora usually ended her training later so she wouldn’t have to share the locker room with the cheerleading team who had rehearsal on that day. Or whatever they called it.  
The room was filled with pigtails, short skirts and colorful pompom. Adora had luckily found her a tranquil spot to change, sighing at the stupid gossip and conversation she was overhearing. 

She was about to put on a shirt when her ear caught something in the babbling. 

“Hey Glimmer ! Say no when they tell you you’ll be on top of the pyramid this time, okay ?!”   
It was quickly followed with loud laughter and more words Adora couldn’t catch up.   
She sighed. She didn’t want to take part in some stupid girl fight but she did owe Glimmer for the makeup.   
Just in a bra and pants, she walked around the wall. There she found Glimmer tying her trainers on the bench, her eyes down and looking uncomfortable, a few feet away a group of girls sharing laughs and knowing looks. Adora walked between Glimmer and the girls. When they noticed her they froze. 

“Nice demonstration girls, cheerleaders are so strong and united. I’m truly impressed but show’s over.” Adora placed her fist on her hips. 

“Wow Glimmer where did you get your bodyguard ?” One of the girl cackled.  
“In hell bitch !” Adora barked, getting impatient. “Now get lost before i put my fist in your pretty face. If you’re disfigured you won’t be able to blow anyone for a tuition.”  
The three girls gasped and grimaced, leaving silently under Adora’s unimpressed look.  
She rolled her eyes and turned back to Glimmer who was staring at her with both admiration and fear. 

“I thought it was kids from my neighbourhood who caused you troubles.” Adora crossed her arms.   
Glimmer shrugged.   
Adora rolled her eyes and walked back to her clothes. Two solid minutes later, Glimmer popped her head out from behind the wall and cleared her throat loudly.  
“What do you want again ?” Adora responded, not looking at her.  
Glimmer hesitated.  
“I think i acted bad earlier so i wanted to apologize.”   
Adora breathed out and turned to Glimmer.  
“Thanks. I. . . I’m sorry too. I reacted too fast.”  
Glimmer looked down.  
“I guess we’re both pretty distrustful.” 

Adora nodded. 

“Anyway thanks for what you did.”  
Glimmer disappeared behind the wall quickly, stopping when Adora called her back.  
“Wait, can I ask. . . those girls they do that often ?”  
Glimmer’s head came out again. This time she walked fully from behind the wall and leaned on it, her arms crossed.  
“You could say I’m not very popular.”

Adora frowned.  
“But you’re a princess. The most popular girls in school.”  
Glimmer scoffed.  
“They like princesses who are pretty and good with people, not the small, fat and nerdy kind.”  
Glimmer’s tone felt ironic.  
Adora pondered, putting on her sweater.  
“Is that why you joined the cheerleaders ?”

Glimmer giggled to herself.  
“No that’s a pretty stupid story actually. I wanted to play football but i can’t since I’m a girl. The closest thing to football is cheerleading, as my mom used to be in the team herself she was very enthusiastic to see me join. But honestly i hate it.”

Adora had a small laugh to that. Glimmer didn’t seem to be really at her rightful place in a short skirt and pompoms. Even though Adora couldn’t help her eyes from being attracted to the sigh of her bare legs. They looked strong, like they could give a good kick. 

Adora twisted her lip.   
“Why can’t girls play football ?”   
“Well there isn’t even a girl team.”  
“How about making your own ?”

Glimmer smirked but it looked bitter.  
“Well i would need teammates for that, since Bow is my only friend it’s gonna be hard to build a girl team.”  
“How about other princesses ?” Adora frowned.

“They’re more like acquaintances. I couldn’t pretend to be friend with any of them.” She sighed. “It’s more of a neighbourhood thing, we live in the same place, all our families know each other so we were like. . . forced to group up.” 

Adora scratched her arm. That sounded somehow familiar.

“Anyway.” Glimmer said loudly, as to cut off the silence between them. “I should get out there. They’re gonna start warm up soon.”   
Adora nodded to that and stared at Glimmer walk away. She still couldn’t quite tell how her hair seemed to sparkle under every light. 

But as the gaps between them seemed impassable, Glimmer was a complete mystery to Adora who couldn’t stop asking herself hundred of questions but could never word them. Finding herself speechless in front of that girl. Like she spoke a different language Adora could never learn.

Adora felt gloomy as she tied up her boots.

_______________

Walking out on the field, Glimmer felt a slight nausea in her stomach as she joined the group of all those perfect girls. They all looked like the cheerleading outfit was made for them while Glimmer felt like she was wearing a halloween costume. 

It was not where she wanted to be, she did not feel like this was where she belonged. It felt so wrong to her she wanted to cry. Plus none of those girls liked her, they were all too perfect for Glimmer to ever wish to be their friend.

Even facing Adora Glimmer didn’t feel good enough. Even a downtown girl, a problem kid was better than her.   
Yet Glimmer wanted to speak, to start a conversation. Why did it feel so natural with Bow and so impossible with others.   
She couldn’t find the words to ask Adora how she lived. To ask her how she got her black eye. To ask how she got so strong. She wanted to know so much but kept being defensive. 

Maybe it was her fault. 

__________________

When she walked along the field to go meet Catra, Adora took a quick look at the cheerleaders but couldn’t spot Glimmer. Why was she even looking for her was a question she could not yet answer. 

After training ended, Glimmer looked down at her stomach and wondered how Adora managed to get her abs. 

Later that night, downtown was as quiet as a cemetary.  
Catra and Adora at last pushed the door to their home to be welcomed by nothing but silent as their foster mother was fast asleep in a whisky-induced coma.

Too afraid to sleep in her bedroom, Adora curled up in Catra’s bed to not take too much space.   
As she fell asleep she thought again about what Glimmer said and the look on her face. 

She never imagined princesses could look this sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god this chapter took me so long to write, i struggled with the dialogues, i hope you'll like them like that.  
> Thanks for reading.


End file.
